This article is about the animal team that defends the circle of life. If you are looking for 2016 television series, then go here
- “'Til the Pride Lands end, Lion Guard defend!”
- ―The Lion Guard's catchphrase
The Lion Guard are a team of animals whose duty is to protect the Pride Lands and the Circle of Life. The Lion Guard was led by Kion and his friends until they decided to return to the Tree of Life and join the Night Pride. The Lion Guard is currently led by Vitani and her Guard. Their meeting place is the Lair of the Lion Guard.
Background[]
The Lion Guard is a group tasked with the job of defending the Pride Lands from danger, and is traditionally led by the second born child of the Lion King. The leader is bestowed with the Roar of the Elders, which helps them in battle.
The first Lion Guard were led by a lion named Askari, the second born son of one of the previous Lion Kings, Askari and his Lion Guard were also responsible for forging peace between lions and elephants in the Pride Lands.
Each member of the Lion Guard has a title, depending on their personalities, physical or mystical attributes; the leader is always the fiercest while the other members are the bravest, fastest, strongest, and keenest of sight. All members are bestowed a marking upon their shoulder in the shape of a lion's head. Prior to Kion's Lion Guard, previous Lion Guards consisted of only lions.
Askari II led the Lion Guard before Kion, initially, he was responsible with his duties as the leader of the Lion Guard and never abused the Roar of the Elders, but after Askari got bitten by a cobra (leaving a scar over his left eye), the venom in his body started to corrupt him to the point that he allowed the power of the roar to go to his head, causing him to become irresponsible with his duties and abusive of his powers. He then decided to overthrow his older brother, Mufasa (who gave Askari the nickname Scar following the cobra bite), and take his place as the ruler of the Pride Lands. He wanted his Lion Guard to help him, but they refused. In rage, Scar murdered them with the roar, but by using the power for evil, he lost it completely.
Many years later, Kion, the second born child of Simba and Nala and Scar's great-nephew, inherits the power of the Roar of the Elders and he becomes the new leader of the new Lion Guard. Kion recruits his friends, Bunga (the Bravest), Ono (the Keenest of sight), Beshte (the Strongest), and Fuli (the Fastest), to be part of the new Lion Guard despite the fact they are not lions.
After being informed by his daughter Kiara, Simba confronts his son for his decision, (incorrectly) believing that he wasn't taking his new responsibility seriously. However, after Kion and his friends defeat Janja and save Kiara from a stampede, Simba realizes he was wrong about Kion's decision and warmly welcomes the new Lion Guard.
Years later, Kion recruits Anga into his Lion Guard to become Keenest of Sight, after Ono begins to lose his eyesight and becomes the Smartest. Following the battle of Pride Rock, Kion and his friends leave the Pride Lands and journey to the Tree of Life to heal Kion's scar (which he got from Ushari, under the orders of Scar's spirit) and Ono's sight. In their absence, Vitani and four other Outsider Lionesses formed a new Lion Guard to protect the Pride Lands, following the events of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. When Kion and his friends return, they challenge Vitani and her Lion Guard to determine which group is better. It was up to Kion and Vitani to break up the tie, but Kion decides that Vitani and her group are worthy of becoming the new Lion Guard, and bestows Vitani with the Mark of the Guard and the Roar while Kion, and his friends decide to join the Night Pride and become protectors of the Tree of Life.
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